it's my only hope of heaven, at the cross forgiven

Adore09's Blogaway contest officially starts today! All you gotta do is write a post on your blog on A Generation Of HOPE, in anyway you want to, and send your URL to team.adore@gmail.com . Prizes up for grabs at Adore itself!

So, as an example, i'm posting my version on my blog. Details about Adore09 are as follow:

Date : 22nd August 2009
Venue : Main Sanctuary, KL Baptist Church
Time : ADORE09 Bash (4:00pm – 7:30pm)
Concert (7:30pm – 10:00pm)

...............................................................................................................................

The most obvious (and necessary) question to ask is,

What is HOPE?

When you're stuck in a traffic jam,

there is HOPE that the end is just around the bend (although you've been telling yourself that

10 bends ago)

When you hit snooze for the 5th time in the morning,

you HOPE that you will hear your favourite ringtone (in my case, mighty morphin power rangers :P) and get notice that class is cancelled for the day!

When you break your curfew,

you HOPE that miraculously the clock in your house lagged for just that 15 minutes.

When you step on the weighing scale,

you HOPE that somehow all the calories you so gluttonly consumed in the past week sunk with the Titanic. (yes, i am guilty as charged)

When you got news that Michael Jackson died,

you HOPED that it was just a publicity idea gone a little too far. (did you?)

When my grandad was diagnosed with final stage cancer, i HOPED that God is gracious and gives that extra one year so he can at least see my sister graduate, like he always wanted to.

Yes, we are a generation of hope. But is this what real hope is? An uncertainty we bank on, which if it happens, great. If not, well too bad. I'll try again next time.

If this is hope, it isn't much different from what people call chance, luck. I don't know about you, but i am not content with that. Thank God real hope is so much more.

Do you know what is hope?

HOPE is when you wake up in the morning knowing that God is going before you through your day in everything you do.

HOPE is when you face rejection of any kind, you know that there is One who accepts and loves you unconditionally.

*plays Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" in the background*

HOPE is when you had a bad day, you go to bed in peace, knowing His mercies are new every morning.

HOPE is when you fear, you know that He never leaves, He never forsakes us.

HOPE is when the future lies unknown, you know that He has plans to prosper us, not to harm us.

HOPE is when we don't understand why we're going through what we're going through, but rest secure in the knowledge that all things work for the good of those who love Him.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

HOPE is when you know your granddad is going to leave this earth soon, and even if God doesn't prolong his life, you know that it isn't goodbye, that you will one day be reunited with him again in heaven.

Hope is a promise in the face of uncertainties, trials, weaknessess, fear, loneliness... even death. It gives courage to overcome. Because of God.

Are you confused or lost? Do you find yourself hoping against all hopes but always being let down? We may be a generation of many false, make believe hopes. It's time to get our facts right.

JESUS is the real HOPE.

And if we choose to believe in Him, then we will learn and experience what it means to be a real

Generation of HOPE.